North Cave Wetlands – 15/10/2017

Bright and sunny afternoon, temperatures reaching 20 degrees with a light south-westerly breeze blowing. Good numbers of Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta around the reserve, with several pair in cop at the front of Carp Lake. Good numbers of Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum also showing well.

Migrant Hawker – Aeshna mixta

Common Darter – Sympetrum striolatum

Gorse Shieldbug Piezodorus lituratus and Spiked Shieldbug Picromerus bidens were showing along Dryham Lane, along side Village Lake. A Hawthorn Shieldbug Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale was present along the western path. A small number of Chilacis typhae were showing on the bulrush heads on Carp Lake.

Gorse Shieldbug – Piezodorus lituratus

Spiked Shieldbug – Picromerus bidens

Chilacis typhae

A few beetles noted around the reserve. Bean Seed Beetle Bruchus rufimanus was found inside Turret Hide, whilst a pair of Sphaeroderma testaceum were on Thistles on the approach path to the hide. 7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata and 22-spot Ladybird Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata were also noted around the site.

Bean Seed Beetle – Bruchus rufimanus

Sphaeroderma testaceum

22-spot Ladybird – Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata

Other miscellany included several Eristalis tenax, along with a couple of Helophilus pendulus at the start of the butterfly walk. A male Speckled Bush-cricket Leptophyes punctatissima was sunning itself along Dryham Lane.

Helophilus pendulus

Speckled Bush-cricket – Leptophyes punctatissima

Birding-wise the Great White Egret Ardea alba was still present on Cell C of Dryham Ings, before moving on to the Reservoir. A small skein of around 25 Pink-footed Geese Anser brachyrhynchus dropped down on to the eastern bank of Main Lake. Bearded Tit Panurus biarmicus could be heard ‘pinging’ in the reedbed below Turret Hide, but remained elusive.